Young and Beautiful
by imuffinator
Summary: The City of Lights is always constantly changing. Cue Azusa, a future University student. Whether she gets into her dream school or not, she wants to do what she must to succeed. HTT is an up-and-coming band on the rise, though each member is not what they appear to be. Can Azusa save them from themselves? Or will outside forces prevent her from even trying? (YuiAzu/Mitsu/More)
1. Prologue: What You Know

A/N: I've always had a fascination with taking characters and putting them in different universes. The characters in this fic are mostly inspired by those portrayed in the EDs. They always seemed much more serious than the actual cast. I don't know if you guys have read Spiral by AdrenaVeris, but in a way, I guess this story was inspired by it. Not by much, but the basis of taking the projection I received from the Listen! ED specifically.

I hope you guys enjoy it. It's been hiding in my documents since freshman year of college (2 years ago now), but the idea has returned. Now, I'll shut up and let you get to it. Thanks again and sorry for the Singing! Wait, I'll talk more about that at the end, but for now, here is Young and Beautiful.

* * *

 **Prologue: What You Know**

"… _This is starting to feel like_

 _It's right before my eyes_

 _And I can taste it, it's my sweet beginning."_

 _-Two Door Cinema Club_

* * *

Her future was sealed.

Okay, maybe not yet. It could even happen next week if something went wrong, but that didn't stop Azusa from bolting out of school the second the bell had rung to signify the end of school.

It was that time of the year.

People were stressing and others were guessing what colleges would tell them in their letters.

As a senior nearing her final months of school, Azusa was no exception.

"I have to hurry," she muttered to herself as she ran.

Her garnet eyes shifted wildly as she glanced at the litter filled streets. Food vans covered every other block as merchants tried to sell hot dogs, shish kabobs, and honey-roasted peanuts to unsuspecting tourists.

Growing up in a place like New York City was _not_ an easy adjustment. Especially since she had spent her early days in in a small town where everybody and their mother seemed to know about who's brother was engaged or what poor sap had dipped into their savings to try to win the lottery.

To this day Azusa wasn't used to the sights of the city that seemed to evolve everyday.

Though there was one thing that seemed to stay constant even through years of dealing with the city's constant fluctuations.

From a young age, Azusa had set her sights on one school.

The garnet-eyed girl stopped in front of the large pristine campus and sighed longingly.

Sakuragaoka was a private university that had a prestigious reputation which rivaled that of any other Ivy League school. A successful job was _guaranteed_ if you attended.

That was the problem though.

When Azusa had found out the harsh reality of her parent's financial situation, she had _just_ started high school.

How was a fourteen year old girl who came from the lower middle class supposed to enter an Ivy league?

From what she'd gathered, many of the University's populace had been enrolled in the school's education system starting from Pre-K. Not only that, but scholarships awarded to commoners were as rare as a blue moon.

It was once she had gathered all this that Azusa had promised herself that grades would be the one thing that she would rely on if she couldn't depend on her parents for money.

Since she was an only child, she had grown up lacking some social skills, but made up for this by investing her time in her one best friend, her guitar.

Knowing that dealing with her peers wasn't an issue, it became easier for Azusa to focus on her studies. Though being besties with an inanimate object did take a toll on her and made her question her sanity from time to time.

Azusa hadn't changed much appearance wise since she had hit puberty in seventh grade. She was still at a height of 4'11 and her long raven-hair was almost always tied in two twin-tails. To top it off, her round garnet eyes only served to emphasized her youth.

Azusa often found people staring at her in shock when she told them that she was eighteen. Being a young Japanese girl with a rather catlike appearance did not help with her maturity factor.

"I WILL make it in. I can feel it," Azusa whispered to herself.

She tightened her grip on her backpack straps and started to turn away from the school.

In the instant she turned, her shoulder collide into something soft, but firm. It didn't take a genius to figure out she had crashed into another person.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Azusa immediately apologized and stepped away.

She glanced up and took in the sight of the stranger she had bumped into.

The auburn-haired girl was scowling and rubbing her arm.

"It's fine," she grumbled and though she had an irritated look in her eyes, there was something about her that just emphasized her beauty.

A gentle breeze swept the area and Azusa couldn't help but remain fixed in her spot and mesmerized at the effect it had on the stranger. The girl's shoulder length hair seemed to dance along with the flow and when she went to turn away, the splash of lime green between her unzipped hoodie caught Azusa's eye.

She read the three jagged letters on the girl's green tee.

HTT.

Azusa stood there quietly for a minute before realizing that the girl had left and she was just standing awkwardly in front of the school's gates.

There was something about her that seemed so...familiar.

 _I feel like I've seen her somewhere...I must be imagining it though._

A church bell in the distance tolled three times. Azusa gasped before realizing that the mail was going to be there when she got home.

She quickly turned to face Sakuragaoka once more and smiled confidently.

Today was going to be a great day.

She could _FEEL_ it.

"What? But- Mom, I was supposed hear about it today!"

Azusa stood there in disbelief as her mother gave her a sympathetic smile. The younger girl immediately thought up fifty worst-case scenarios as she paced the room.

What if she has been rejected so badly that they didn't want to send a letter?

What if they had a secret committee for extermination of worthless applicants so they'd never reveal what was on the entrance exams?

"I triple checked three times. They said it would definitely arrive today. It's all over now..." She muttered and immediately fell back onto the couch only to let out a resigned sigh.

Her eyes tore away from the stack of papers on the coffee table and moved over to look at a picture frame on the nearby dresser.

The picture had been taken before she was born. In it, her father had short cropped hair and wore a suit, meanwhile her mother looked elegant and full of poise. They looked so young... so full of energy!

This had been taken before her father had lost his job.

They had lived in New Jersey and had expected to stay there for a long time, but her father's job as a teacher had been terminated due to budget cuts made by the state's governor. Instead of trying to push his way through any neighboring districts, he had tried his luck in New York.

At the time, Azusa had been nine.

When they first moved to the city, her parents had tried to keep living their lives as if nothing had changed, but this proved to be difficult since they were always busy. They had taken up so many part time jobs along with full-time to meet the payments that their home required that even caring for her became a job itself.

Azusa groaned as she lay horizontally on the couch. She blankly looked up at the ceiling.

"Azusa, can you do me a favor and run to the store to buy eggs?"

She glanced at the doorway connecting the living room to the kitchen and narrowed her eyes.

 _Mom, you should know I'm being a sulky brooding teenager right now and I all I want to do is sulk and mope around._ She glared at the doorway, but decided against whining in favor of not arguing with her mother.

"I'm just going to wait for a little bit longer and then go, okay?" Azusa yelled back.

"Unless you want dinner to be late, go now. If it's meant to come today, the letter arrive. If it doesn't then you can always hope for another school."

Her mother's tone sounded calm, but Azusa knew that she was growing impatient. She groaned in frustration and got off of the couch. She then walked over to the door and put her shoes on.

"I'll be back in twenty minutes. If it gets here, don't peek, mom!" Azusa shouted as she opened up the door and walked outside.

After hearing the click of the door as it shut behind her, Azusa took off into her neighborhood. The part of town that they lived in was pretty run down, but compared to other neighborhoods they were pretty well off.

 _If I get into SGU though, I'll be able to start paving my path for the future and leave this place!_

Azusa put her hands in her pockets as another chilly breeze swept the area. It was rather cool for spring, but that only meant that summer was on its way.

Azusa softly bit her lip as she trudged down the street. The unknown was starting to gnaw at her. She had worked SO hard to try to get into SGU that if she didn't, she'd feel like a failure and that part of her life had gone to waste.

 _I mean they have a pretty low acceptance rate anyway...it's only 40%. Most of the kids who get in are extremely rich or have been in their system since they were little. It's not fair...I've been working for it ever since I could remember._

Azusa sighed and looked at her whereabouts. She had been enjoying a silent walk up until she reached the busy streets. Since her family lived close to the heart of NYC, it didn't take long for her to get around. This helped when she needed to do quick grocery shopping.

 _I wish we lived somewhere quieter though. The city is disgusting._ She thought as she saw a sleeping man sitting against a wall surrounded by bulky bags of garbage. He did not seem disturbed by the fact that there were flies swarming around him. Azusa felt a mix of pity and disgust, the latter immediately overtaking her as a fly landed in his open mouth.

She quickly moved away from the slumbering man and toward the main street.

Azusa entered the Walmart that was around the block and narrowly avoided colliding into a quickly moving stranger. The tawny haired girl apologized as she jogged out of the store. The one thing that had stood out to Azusa about her was her large forehead since her bangs were held back by a yellow scrunchy.

Shortly after she ran out, a tall fashionable looking woman with her dark hair up in a ponytail and a just as immaculately dressed blonde ran out after her. Azusa could hear the blonde muttering something that sounded like "we're late, oh my gosh, we're late" while her companion had an impassive look on her face.

 _I guess everyone's in a hurry today._

Azusa recalled the memory of the other girl that she had crashed into and noted that many people were currently speeding about around her.

 _It shouldn't surprise me...these people always move as if they're running late to work._

Azusa made her way to the back of Walmart with her little blue hand basket. As she was on her way to the dairy aisle, she decided to make a detour and went to the entertainment section instead. Normally she skimmed through the music magazines there in peace, but today she found three girls giggling over the same magazine.

Azusa tried to hide her frustration as she heard the girls fawn over one of the growing bands that was recently hitting the scene.

Houkago Tea Time had been on the news a lot lately. This had all happened because the four girls in the band all happened to go to SGU and had connections which boosted their popularity.

 _If I was born rich then I'm sure I'd be just like them, but from what I've heard they're all brats. They haven't even played an official gig yet and they're just as popular as ...as Justin Bieber or something!_

Azusa wrinkled her nose in distaste at the thought of the popstar.

 _...Well, it's not like I even like his "music", but still!_

Azusa chuckled to herself as she picked up the newest edition of _Rolling Stone_ and skimmed through it. She tried to keep a poker face as the girls near her babbled away.

"Ohmygosh, Tainaka is so hot!"

"Alice, you know that Ritsu is a girl, right?"

"W-well, then she's my girl crush!"

"Guys, Tsumugi and Mio are the best!"

Azusa tilted her head slightly to look at the three giggling girls. She slightly bit her lip as she fought the urge to grab a copy of the magazine they were reading.

"We can all agree that Yui is the coolest though right? I mean look at that face!"

"Haha, Kim you're drooling!"

"S-shut up, Ali!"

Azusa remained silent as the three girls each took a copy of the magazine and walked away from the section. Their laughter dissipated as they got farther away.

Letting curiosity take the best of her, Azusa reached out and grabbed a copy.

 _I mean...one peek couldn't hurt, right?_

Azusa flipped the magazine open and skimmed past the various celebrity scandals. She didn't normally keep up with famous people and their lives, but the fact that the HTT girls were from SGU intrigued her.

 _Ah what page is that article on? I should have read the table of contents._

Azusa almost abandoned her search when she saw an article about Kim Kardashian's latest scandal and how Miley Cyrus had yet another twerking incident. She was about return the magazine back to its place on the shelf when the eyes of a person on a page she had carelessly flipped on caught her attention.

 _Wait a second.._.

She flipped back onto the page and smiled smugly. She had found the article!

When she looked in the auburn-haired girl's eyes, she was surprised by the lack of emotion in them. Upon comparing her to her band mates, Azusa saw that the blonde, tawny-haired girl, and dark haired girl beside her were smiling brightly.

Azusa glanced down at the article and read.

 _ **HTT - A Rise to Fame**_

 _Born in the prestigious Sakuragaoka University, Houkago Tea Time has presented skill and music knowledge that has not been seen in ages. Vocalists, Mio Akiyama and Yui Hirasawa (both pictured above) have captivated the hearts of thousands with their vocals in the hit single Light and Fluffy Time._

 _The unique blend of sound that is brought forth by this band is something truly spectacular. From the way that they play, one wouldn't know that Hirasawa picked up the guitar four years ago when the band was formed during their sophomore year in High School._

 _While each girl comes from their own unique background, this has not made their teamwork dysfunctional, but has benefited them. Their Japanese background has made them popular with the 'Otaku' community and their style is just fun for everyone. Much is expected from this upcoming group and we will keep following them as they grow. (More on next page for Biographies)._

Azusa looked back up at the picture of the four girls and felt her jaw drop.

 _Is that..._

She focused on the guitarist's face and examined her hair. She then examined the three bolded letters at the top of the article and felt her jaw drop.

She felt so dumb.

The image of three jagged black letters imprinted on a bright green shirt jumped out of Azusa's memory. Her stomach tightened as she realized that it was the girl she had crashed into earlier.

 _Oh god...I almost knocked Yui Hirasawa over._

Azusa closed the magazine and absentmindedly dropped it into her basket. She exhaled and scratched her head furiously.

 _I bet she hates me! Karma is going to make SGU reject me because I crashed into her!_

Azusa tightened her grip on the basket and walked over to the cashier. She placed the contents on the conveyer belt and waited. As she stood on line, she tried to ignore the people conversing around her.

The more she listened, the more she saw that there was a group of guys talking about HTT.

 _They probably think that they're hot or something._

Azusa scoffed before walking in front of the cashier. She watched as the woman scanned her items. After she paid and bagged her things, Azusa left the store.

On her way home, she saw that people were gathering around one of the big screens outside of a shop. As Azusa approached, she saw that it was playing the _Della_ * show and that there were four girls sitting by the hostess. The Live! Sign at the corner of the screen caught her attention and she watched intently.

"Welcome folks, I'm Della and today's special guests are the rising band, Houkago Tea Time!"

As the host spoke with the girls, Azusa took the time to examine each one.

The blonde with bushy eyebrows was wearing a pair of thick framed glasses and a grey beret, out of the four she seemed the most excited. The tawny-haired girl next to her had her bangs pulled back by a loose ponytail. As Azusa examined these two, she gasped.

 _I saw them at Walmart! That was Mugi and Ritsu? Wow, I'm bumping into celebrities left and right today-_ She thought to herself and frowned. _Wait but that means the black haired girl was... And that also means that she should be there!_

Her eyes roamed over to the last two girls.

The vocalists.

She immediately noted that both girls were disinterested in the conversation. In fact, Mio was picking at her nails absentmindedly while Yui had a blank expression on her face and her arms tightly crossed. The auburn-haired girl was wearing the same outfit she had on earlier.

 _Could it be she was leaving SGU to go to this?_ Azusa thought..

Once she felt a soft vibration against her thigh, she quickly reached in her pocket to take it out.

"Hello?" She mumbled, her eyes did not stray from the screen.

"Are you planning on coming home to open this letter or do you want me to do it?" Her mom asked.

Azusa felt her heart lodge itself into her throat as she gasped.

"I'll be over soon, don't open it."

"I don't know Azusa, it seems so tempting..." Her mother teased.

The younger girl quickly tore her eyes away from the screen.

"Mom, no! Just wait a bit!" Azusa said as she began running toward her house.

The raven-haired girl hung up and smiled nervously to herself. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears and she was now running on a rush of adrenaline.

 _Here it comes...the moment of truth._

* * *

 ** _[X~0~X~0 K-ON! 0~X~0~X]_**

* * *

The run back home seemed to go by much faster than her departure. When Azusa slammed the door open, her mother glared at her as she handed her the letter. She immediately ripped it open (as carefully as she could) and pulled out its contents.

She read it once, then twice, and then once more for good measure. Azusa narrowed her eyes and held the paper at a distance.

"M-Mom, what does this mean?"

"I don't know, read it again," her mother said.

Azusa glanced back down at the letter and bit her lip.

 _[Dear Ms. Nakano,_

 _The University of Sakuragaoka is a prestigious school that only accepts the cream of the crop. In regards to the various applicants that applied to our University, it was widely conferred that their intellectual achievements were something that was expected for those wishing to attend an Ivy League. Among the candidates that advanced through rounds of meticulous scrutinization, there were many who were up to the challenge. One cannot forget that there are some candidates who have been around since they were infants. Though this must not deter the upcoming youth from trying to apply._

 _There is a reason for everything. Selection of worthy candidates for admittance is something that involves rigorous examinations when it comes to transcripts and applications. Scheduling an interview is something that also aids and adds experience for the future. This is all important, but what does it truly mean? Well, for one, the recipient of this letter is aware of the admission process and how time consuming it can be._

 _Overall, a powerful effort has been made to integrate any incoming students. As stated before, the reader may be wondering, "Why is this all being said?" Well, it is quite necessary in order to continue. In fact, in all cases, necessary maneuvers must be set into place.]_

Azusa looked up at her mother and tilted her head.

"But that's it. It stops there," Azusa said before groaning in frustration.

Was this supposed to be someone's cruel idea of a joke?

Her mother chuckled as she folded her arms.

"I don't get it, mom, why would they send me a half-finished letter?"

"Azusa-"

"Seriously, what kind of stunt are they trying to pull?! I've taken at least nine AP classes! I don't know the results for three exams that I'll take, but I've been cramming my butt off for those!"

"Azusa-"

"Maybe this University wasn't worth it after all if they only send half-baked responses to people trying to -"

"AZUSA, BE QUIET AND LISTEN!"

Azusa froze up and glanced over at her mother. Once she saw the smirk on the older woman's face, she froze up.

"Don't tell me..." Azusa muttered as she glanced down at the envelope on the table.

"Check," her mother softly stated.

Azusa picked the torn envelope up and peeked in it. She bit her lip and closed her eyes when she saw another three pieces of folded papers in it.

"I...knew that," Azusa murmured.

"Right Snappy Pants, read it," her mother smirked.

Azusa's cheeks colored in embarrassment as her mother laughed at her impatient attitude. She carefully pulled the papers out of the envelope and continued reading.

 _[It has come to the attention of our admission attendants that you have many achievements that are noteworthy._

 _For this, you have been cordially nominated for the Kotobuki scholarship. The benefits of this scholarship include a gratuitous experience that requires much work on your part. As a recipient of the Kotobuki scholarship, Sakuragaoka University would like to congratulate you on being accepted-]_

Azusa felt her jaw drop as she let the letter in her hands drop to the floor. Her vision began to blur as she stared blankly at her mother. When a tear ran down her cheek, her mom sprung into action.

"Azusa, it's okay! There are other universities! Don't worry!" she reassured her.

Azusa weakly smiled before quickly wiping away her tears. She sniffled and then tried to calm her now erratic breathing.

"...Azusa?"

She met her mother's garnet eyes and beamed.

"I made it in mom..." She whispered.

"Sweetie it's okay!" Her mother continued before pulling her into a tight hug. "You're smart! You can go for any other school better than that lame Sakuragao- wait what?"

Her mother's eyes peered into her own before the older woman stepped away. Azusa leaned down to retrieve the paper and recited the last lines. A smile as bright as the sun dawned on her mother's face.

"Oh my gosh, Azusa! An Ivy League! You! Your father is going to be so shocked!" Her mother laughed in relief and started pacing the room. "Oh my gosh! Why, I'm going to bake a cake!"

"Don't freak out too much, mom," Azusa blushed at her mother's reaction.

"How can I not?! Who cares about this month's house payment, let's go celebrate!" Her mother shouted as she grabbed the bag of groceries and left the room.

 _Some things never change._

Azusa smiled before sitting on the couch and reading the rest of the letter.

[ _As a recipient of the Kotobuki scholarship, Sakuragaoka University would like to congratulate you on being accepted to our University._

 _Now what does this mean for you?_

 _The Kotobuki scholarship is awarded every other year to a hardworking student who has met highly set standards and done exemplary work for the community. A majority of the time, the scholarship is not awarded due to various applicants not meeting the requirements. Since the scholarship has many requisites, it guarantees a full-ride. The recipient will start a year ahead in classes and begin as a sophomore. Appointments to arrange summer classes in order to catch up on subjects for freshmen can be made at the following number: XXX-XXX-XXXX._

 _For further details of the Kotobuki scholarship, another letter will arrive in a few weeks. We congratulate you once more for your acceptance into Sakuragaoka, we hope to see you in the fall!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Samuel N. Tainaka_

 _President and director of Sakuragaoka University.]_

Azusa placed the letter down on the table before sighing shakily. After a few seconds of remaining still, she burst into laughter.

 _To think that I got in! I can't believe it! It's a dream come true!_

Azusa reached over and grabbed a pillow. She hugged it close and squealed into it. Immediately after doing so, she returned the pillow to its spot and looked around. An embarrassed blush crept onto her cheeks as she tried to dismiss what had just happened.

Garnet eyes stared down at a little box that had come in the envelope. The young girl reached over and took the box in her hand. She looked through the plastic and saw a small pin with the letters: SGU.

Azusa wrapped her fingers around the box and gently squeezed it.

 _One goal down. I know I can do this._

Azusa determinately pumped her first into the air and grinned. The pin inside the box glimmered in the light that permeated through the windows.

"Azusa...?"

She quickly brought her arm down and turned toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, mom?" she asked.

Her mother walked out of the kitchen with the grocery bag in her hands. Azusa watched her mother approach and froze up.

/Oh no, did I buy the wrong kind of milk?/

"Azusa...how was I supposed to cook dinner with this?" Her mother asked as she took a familiar looking magazine out of the bag.

Azusa froze once she realized her mistake.

 _I-I got so caught up with HTT that I forgot the eggs!_

"I-I'm sorry, mom! I'll go buy the eggs now!" Azusa shouted as she quickly stood up and apologetically bowed to her mother.

"I'd rather you not. You might buy merchandise by accident in this delusion of grandeur that you're in. Just relax, I'll go buy it. Congrats, kiddo," her mother smiled before ruffling her hair.

Azusa met her mother's garnet eyes for a few seconds before the woman turned away. It was one of those moments that made Azusa forget the financial trouble that her parents were in. It was one where she could actually enjoy life.

 _A full ride, huh?_

Azusa picked up the magazine and sat on the couch. She flipped open to the page with the HTT biographies and kept going until she stopped at the lead guitarist's.

Her eyes bored into the pictured girl's expressionless ones before she silently promised herself to do her best when it was finally time to go.

 _School's almost done and it's basically guaranteed that I'll be valedictorian at this rate since my opponent dropped those AP classes._

Azusa stretched her arms and dropped the magazine onto the coffee table in front of her.

It wasn't every day that someone from a relatively average background entered an extremely prestigious Ivy League University. She wouldn't be surprised if she was on the news.

She didn't worry much about that though, instead she indulged in her current state of happiness and continued reading about HTT's members.

* * *

 **A/N:** I had tried to work on Singing! When I had said it. Meaning, I had the inspiration, but once it was time to write it, I immediately lost inspiration. Recently, I've been battling some real life problems. Now that I'm a junior in college, it's being a bit tricky since I'm approaching the real world. So, as an early Christmas present from me to whoever reads this, this is my promise to you that it's not over yet. I will overcome this and give you all the ending you deserve. I just don't want it to be forced, but now that my writing style has changed, I'm afraid it may not flow as easily.

Thank you for having patience with me. I hope to see you again soon upon the continuation of this, BAS, Singing!, Medieval AU, and the silly one-shots I could do.

In relation to the next chapter of Y&B, I leave this quote segment:

" _Maybe next year I'll have no time  
To think about the questions to address  
Am I the one to try to stop the fire?"_

Think of it what you will. This is Mei signing off. Ciao, friends.


	2. Chapter 2: Obstacles

**A/N:** Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! This chapter came out rather quick and hopefully I'll run off this muse until I get

the inspiration I need to work on my other fics. That or school will kill it before it can rise.

That being said, the characters ARE a bit OOC. I am trying to retain as much of their canon selves

as possible, but at the same time it's what I gather from their appearances in the EDs, namely that of Listen!

I'll stop blabbing and let you get on with it.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Obstacles**

 _"Let's say sunshine for everyone_

 _But as far as I can remember_

 _We've been migratory animals_

 _Living under changing weather"_

 _-Syd Matters_

* * *

The transition from the end of the year to the start of the semester was rigorous.

When Azusa had assumed that the media would be following her around to cover her story, she had assumed it would be a minor thing. Fortunately, it was around until after her graduation and then once she'd departed it had calmed back down.

With the summer classes she'd arranged under her belt and Orientation being the next day, Azusa found herself trembling with a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

The good thing was that she lived close enough that it would be difficult for her to oversleep AND be super late to classes. The bad thing was that she'd be starting as a sophomore, meaning she'd be surrounded by elders who had known each other for decades.

Azusa sighed and plopped down on the edge of her bed. She grabbed her backpack and rummaged through it again to make sure everything was in order. Her parents were off visiting her grandparents so they'd left her home alone. She sort of wished they'd stayed to help her out on her first day, but her father was still on vacation and she didn't want to impose.

"Well, this is it, Muttan," she said and peered up at her guitar. Azusa got up from the edge of her bed and walked over to it. "Starting tomorrow I'm an official University student…"

She smiled to herself and picked up the Dakota Red Fender Mustang. She'd been so busy in the past few weeks that she hadn't had a chance to play him.

Azusa sat down on her bed again and placed the guitar strap around her neck. She fiddled with the strings momentarily and frowned when she heard that they were out of tune. She reached over and grabbed her tuner from her nightstand and tuned the guitar.

As a engineering major, she should want to focus on the science and math driven clubs, but the naive part of her that pursued her music minor knew she'd have to work hard and audition to get into one of the school's many Music based Sororities or clubs. For now, she was just content knowing that she'd gotten accepted.

"If music doesn't work out for us, we can definitely focus on the engineering," Azusa smirked down at her guitar and worked through a rather complicated riff. "But I don't think that'll be a problem if we work together."

She allowed herself to fall back onto her bed and hugged her instrument close. With everyone else being so rich, she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to fit in. She'd heard stories of students flying out of the country for the weekend on their private jets, but she wasn't sure how accurate they were.

"I really hope it's not true, Muttan. I can't imagine it… But I guess if you're rich anything is possible," Azusa groaned and placed the back of her left forearm over her eyes.

There was a faint whir to her right, she adjusted her arm so she could peek and saw her phone screen dim. Azusa reached over to grab it and turned it on. The message displayed on the screen read:

 _ **[University Relations:**_

 _ **A Message from the Sakuragaoka Student Council**_

 _ **Hello everyone!**_

 _ **As a reminder, tomorrow is Freshman orientation…]**_

Azusa immediately sat up and winced when her guitar bumped into her knee. She bit back a curse and removed her guitar strap from around her neck before unlocking her phone to read the message.

Her phone took a few seconds before it lit up to show the entire thing.

 _ **[University Relations:**_

 _ **A Message from the Sakuragaoka Student Council**_

 _ **Hello everyone!**_

 _ **As a reminder, tomorrow is Freshman orientation! Please arrive at the University Stadium at 10:00 AM. There will be a brief sign-in session before the festivities begin. You should have received a number and section when you pre-registered, once you're in you will be directed accordingly. Thanks again, hope to see you soon!**_

 _ **Regards,**_

 _ **The Sakuragaoka Student Council]**_

Azusa bit her lip as she scrolled down to read it all, it was as she clicked out of it that she noticed there was an email sent hours prior that she had missed.

 _ **[Samuel Tainaka**_

 _ **411 Regarding the Kotobuki Scholarship:**_

 _ **Good evening Ms. Nakano,**_

 _ **As you may know, tomorrow is Freshman Orientation day. You can conduct the beginning activities with your assigned group, but since you are not technically a freshman, a special arrangement has been conducted for you by the Kotobuki Organization.**_

 _ **At noon, near the Fountain of Eden, you will find a representative of the Organization. They will guide you through what you need to know and will serve as a mentor for the remainder of the semester. If any issues arise, please do not be afraid to contact us at: XXX-XXX-XXXX.**_

 _ **Thank you for your time, we hope to see you tomorrow.**_

 _ **Sincerely,**_

 _ **Samuel N. Tainaka**_

 _ **President and Director of Sakuragaoka University]**_

Azusa skimmed it over a few times before clicking her phone off. She let it drop beside her and stared up at the ceiling with wide eyes.

 _I can't imagine the disaster that would have ensued if I'd missed that_. She thought as she sat back up. A look at the clock showed that it was 10:00 PM.

Azusa grabbed her guitar and moved to put it back on its stand. "Well, goodnight, Muttan. I'll see you in the morning."

She gave her guitar a light pat and returned to her bed. Upon lifting the covers, she slipped in and turned off her lamp. Once it was dark, the shadows that crept in from her moonlit window seemed to dance across her room.

She allowed herself to make shapes with the ragged lines and drifted off to sleep with repeating thoughts to not forget that she was meant to meet the Representative at noon.

* * *

 **X~0~X~0 K-ON! 0~X~0~X**

* * *

From up above, Azusa was positive that the campus looked like a flood of cerulean blue, shining gold, and black. At their entrance, each freshman had been handed a complimentary drawstring bag and hoodie with the school's mascot, a Yellow tiger, imprinted on the right sleeve.

She fingered the soft material and looked around. A lot of people were wearing it so she had decided to blend in, but the small size was baggy even on her.

 _Curse my genes._ She mentally sighed and took her place in line behind a group of girls.

Azusa peered around curiously. For the most part, the campus was quite diverse. It wasn't like the fancy schools you saw on TV that were full of snotty rich white people with their pet chihuahuas and school uniforms.

Though she hoped she could try to jump into a conversation about the curriculum, she found that the majority of students were talking about HTT. Even the girls in front of her were blabbing away about the four girls.

 _I really hope this isn't a major theme throughout the semester. I'd rather not ever have to deal with them if possible._

As the line progressed, Azusa saw that the part behind her section seemed to wrap around the building. It definitely seemed like a lot more people than she had initially counted on. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

 _Don't forget, Azusa. You're also here to make friends. You can't go on with having an inanimate object as your friend for the rest of your life._ She cringed and recalled the numerous times she'd gone to Muttan for advice. _As much as I love you, Muttan. I need to broaden my horizons._

"Excuse me, Miss?"

Azusa peered up, the student sitting behind the booth was smiling at her knowingly. She walked up to her and handed her student ID and pre-registration paper.

The sticker on her left breast read "Megumi Sokabe".

 _Definitely a diverse school._ She thought to herself and tersely nodded.

"Excuse me...Azusa, is it? Here's your ID."

Azusa's eyes snapped up to meet the other girl's, her cheeks burning when she realized that it had looked like she had been staring at the other girl's chest.

Well, it wasn't like she _wasn't_ , but not for the reasons that it seemed like.

"You'll be looking for Section 2. When you enter the building it's to your left. Since you're Row 22, you have a bit of a walk to go," Megumi smiled kindly, seemingly unaware of the trauma that was going through Azusa's mind.

"A-ah, thank you!" Azusa said as she took her ID and gave her a quick bow.

 _Wait, t-this isn't a normal thing._

Azusa quickly stood straight and turned away from the booth so she could rejoin the line. She had heard a few chuckles at the scene she had made and mentally facepalmed. It certainly was _not_ the way she had wanted to start out the day.

She let out a low sigh and followed the file until it reached the entrance of the building. To the side, she saw a group smoking or vaping, or whatever it was that people her age did nowadays. She wrinkled her nose in distaste and made her way into the stadium.

It wasn't her concern if they wanted to throw their lives away. Sure, she knew that some people just did it for recreation, but she'd rather not let herself be distracted and be entangled with those sorts of people.

 _Let's see… Section 01… Section 02!_

Azusa smiled to herself as she walked up the bleacher stairs. Somehow, seeing everyone being buddy buddy with each other sent a sinking feeling through her gut. She worked to ignore it and instead continued her journey up.

Row 22 was at the top of the bleachers so by the time she reached it, Azusa was panting a little bit. She wiped the sweat off of her brow and took a seat down the middle of the row. In front of her, a group of people were blasting rap music from their phones.

 _Couldn't they just use their headphones or something? Not everyone wants to hear what they're listening to._ She rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone.

She'd received a text from her mother wishing her luck and saying that they'd be home later that night, but that was about it. Azusa sighed and placed her phone into her hoodie pocket. Luckily it was a pullover, so she was able to tuck her hands in it comfortably.

The rambunctious rap music that the group in front of her had been listening to faded into a repetitive rock guitar riff.

" _When I look at you my heart always goes thump-thump_

 _This shaking feeling is fluffy-fluffy like a marshmallow"_

Azusa tapped along with the familiar beat of the song. She eased herself into her seat and closed her eyes. The mingling of the two female singer's voices gave her ideas of a riff that she could mix into the song if she were to play it.

 _I wonder what band it is? I'd ask but_ …

"Oh, you don't know this song? I thought everyone in this damned school would by now since it originated here."

Azusa froze, her shoulders tensing up and smile turning up in a tight half-smile. She'd spoken out-loud? Her garnet eyes veered off to the side and met those of a brightly grinning brunette wearing a hoodie similar to her own.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jun!" The girl said and held out her hand eagerly. "Jun Suzuki!"

Azusa hesitantly reached out to shake it and felt the girl's hand clamp onto her own before she shook it. "I'm- My name-"

She brought her free hand up to her mouth and cleared her throat. "My name is Azusa Nakano."

Jun freed her hand from her vice grip, the girl's smile widening as Azusa shook it out. "I knew you looked familiar! You're that girl that got the Kotobuki scholarship!"

Azusa watched the reaction of those around her, the group of rap kids stopped talking for a second and peered over at them. She swallowed nervously and tried to fight back the urge to run at being the center of attention.

"N-No, you must have me confused with someone else," Azusa laughed nervously and waved her off, she sighed in relief when the people in front of her resumed their actions.

The months where the paparazzi had been following her around weren't pleasant. People had tried to befriend her in hopes of someone famous noticing them on the news and it hadn't been nice to say the least.

 _At least I knew that none of them were true friends._

Azusa glumly smiled and cradled her face with her hands.

"Whoa, whoa, sorry, I won't say it again if I get that kind of reaction!" Jun nervously stated.

"Don't worry about it, I just… I'd rather keep it on the downlow. Can I trust you not to say anything?" She asked her.

Jun shrugged and smiled back encouragingly.

"Alright, I won't bring it up again, but I'm just saying that if it were me," she jabbed a thumb in the direction of her chest, "I'd be boasting about it like there was no tomorrow."

Azusa felt a sweatdrop roll down the back of her head and blandly smiled.

 _I wish I had your courage._

"So, what're you planning on studying here?" Jun asked. The bushy haired girl leaned forward and placed her arms on her knees so she could cradle her face with her hands. "For example, I am a music major."

"I'm an engineering major, not sure which branch get, but I'll figure out. Oh, also with a music minor," she replied.

"We have the music thing in common," Jun nodded and gave her an amused look, though it faded as quickly as it came and turned into one of intrigue. "So you're the math and science type, huh? I don't really go for that stuff.!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Azusa asked.

Jun sat up straight and leaned back against the wall. "Not really, I suppose. Each major helps people in their own way, some are just harder to find jobs in. Though if you got a scholarship, the teachers _will_ keep a close eye on you."

"Exactly what I need… more attention," Azusa huffed and leaned into her hoodie so it was covering her nose.

The two girls sat in an uncomfortable silence. Azusa took the time to glance at the arena down below. The majority of people had flowed in and gone to their respective areas, but there were still some stragglers making their way in.

She just had to take a quick campus tour and grab lunch before meeting the representative. Though she wouldn't pay too much attention during the tour since she'd downloaded the school's app on her phone that would allow her to access a map.

 _Technology today's so amazing._ She mused and smiled to herself. Any limited interactions with outsiders would certainly help her settle in.

"If it helps, I'm in a sort of similar situation."

"Hm?" Azusa peered back at Jun, the girl's face had taken a penchant look to it.

 _Definitely a contrast to what it was a few seconds ago._ She thought.

"I joined the school's system during my senior year of high school. My parents got some pretty big bonuses and I guess made some lucky connections. It's because of that that I'm still here today," Jun said.

"Huh, was the transition hard?"

Jun scratched her cheek, her violet eyes bore down at the people in front of her as a wistful smile formed on her lips.

Azusa bit her lip, it didn't seem like she had treaded onto a good subject, so she decided to switch it.

"U-uhh… before- about the music, you said that I-I should know it?" She asked nervously.

Jun's eyes lit up and the girl's cheery smile returned.

"Oh, duh! You really haven't heard it?"

Azusa shook her head and the other girl rolled her eyes.

"You gotta get with the times, Nakano!" Jun teased as she pulled out her phone. The girl hummed it to herself as she tapped away at it.

Once she was done, she scooted over closer to her and turned up the volume just loud enough so that they could both hear it. The guitar riff filtered through the phone before the vocals started in.

Azusa unconsciously felt her foot tapping away to its rhythm again before she caught herself and forced herself to stay still. Beside her, Jun snorted at the action. Azusa glared at the girl, but saw that she was looking down at her phone screen.

It was then that Azusa noticed that the other girl had pulled up a video from what appeared to be a concert. The dark-haired bassist took the mic and brought it close to her lips as she sang along to the chorus.

" _Oh, God, please Give me some Miracle Time, just this once!_

 _And afterwards, if I can talk with him no problem... we'll see where it goes."_

The camera panned out to show a tawny-haired girl behind a set of yellow Yamaha drums, the image of her playing synced along with the singing bassist. The brunette guitarist then sauntered over beside the bassist and joined her to finish it off.

" _Fuwa Fuwa time"_ The bassist sang.

" _Fuwa Fuwa time"_ The guitarist chimed along.

" _Fuwa Fuwa time (Fuwa Fuwa Time)_." They sang twice as the song's final chords rang out and the video faded into the cheering of an audience.

"They're pretty good, huh?" Jun noted.

Azusa nodded and peered down at the title of the video. She would have fallen forward and into the group of people in front of her if she hadn't clasped onto her seat so tightly.

"So… of _course_ it's HTT," she grumbled.

Jun's violet eyes widened with amusement. "Do you not like them?"

Azusa shrugged, at first it had been cool to see that they were a part of the university, but now their influence everywhere was starting to get on her nerves.

"They've got a solid style, but I dunno, I don't see what's so great about them," she said.

"Says the girl who was tapping along the second the song started playing," Jun said, she reached down to grab her water bottle and took a sip. She winked and added, "But that's none of my business."

"Shut up, Jun," Azusa grumbled, the other girl laughed in response.

" _ **Excuse me everyone, may I have your attention please?"**_

The two girls looked down at the center of the arena, everyone around them grew eerily quiet. A tall man stood on a platform in the center of the room. Since they were higher up, it was harder to see him.

It was only through the big screen that projected him that Azusa saw that his short sandy blond hair was combed over to the side and that he had an infectious crooked grin that showed years of wear.

" _ **I am President Tainaka."**_ The audience burst into applause, Azusa and Jun joined in so they wouldn't stand out. President Tainaka held up a hand to stifle the sound and waited patiently for people to stop. _**"Starting today, you are all newcomers to the school. And with that, I welcome you."**_

The arena blew up with roaring and laughter. President Tainaka smiled brightly, the gleam in his amber eyes reflected his proudness.

" _ **Sakuragaoka has been a proud landmark in New York for decades and been in the Tainaka family for generations. If you see my son and daughter around, don't be afraid to approach them and make sure they're behaving accordingly!**_ " The president wagged his finger admonishingly, but that steadfast smile remained on his face.

The audience chuckled in response while Azusa and Jun exchanged amused looks.

" _ **Now that you're starting out in SGU, we hope you continue to uphold our values. I trust in all of you to do your best and represent our University as best as you can. That being said, enjoy the rest of your orientation! Your corresponding group leaders will lead you off now."**_

Azusa watched the people in the rows in front of her stand up, so she nudged Jun to do the same. They followed them down the stairs and out of the arena. The people around them were chatting happily and for a moment, in that sea of blue, yellow, and black, Azusa felt at home.

* * *

 **X~0~X~0 K-ON! 0~X~0~X**

* * *

It was 12:05 PM.

Though she wasn't late, Azusa _knew_ that she shouldn't have stayed behind to split that last hot dog with Jun.

She peered down at her phone screen, the moving cursor that depicted her was at least 5 minutes away from the Fountain of Eden. Azusa mentally cursed herself and pushed herself to run faster.

A few of the elder students who were lounging about gave her odd looks, but she ignored them. There was no time to worry about others judging her.

Azusa turned the corner, her heart leapt with joy when she saw the marble fixture in the center of the buildings. She ran toward it as fast as she could, only stopping by holding her arms out to steady her landing.

Her hands ached once they collided with the smooth rock, but the burning in her lungs distracted her more.

 _I...Must...Look...Ridiculous right now._ She thought between pants.

"Oh my, are you alright?"

Azusa stilled. She'd momentarily forgotten that she was supposed to be meeting with someone. She whirled around to face the speaker and found herself facing a bespectacled woman who was slightly taller than her.

"I presume from your current attire that you came from the orientation?" The woman laughed, the soft sound rang through her ears.

"Y-Yup, it was all the way across campus," Azusa forced herself to say, she took a deep breath and wished that God would smite her.

 _It would honestly save me more embarrassment than I'm facing right now._

"I did tell the President that meeting by the Giving Tree would have been ideal, yet here we are," she laughed, her blue eyes twinkled with mirth behind the thick rims of her glasses.

Azusa noted the outfit she was wearing and was awed at how classy she looked. She wore a long cardigan over a knee-length dress. The outfit was simple, but the woman's european features accentuated it in all the right places.

Her curled blonde hair was done up in a loose braid and her fair complexion contrasted against the dark hues she wore. Not only that, but though she had bushy eyebrows, it presented an alluring vibe to the ensemble.

"Would you like a handkerchief?" The blonde asked.

Azusa shook her head and forced herself to smile instead. "I'll be alright. I'm sorry to impose."

"Cute…" The woman murmured.

Azusa blinked twice at the statement. "Excuse me?"

"Sorry, just talking to myself," the woman said as she shook her head and chuckled to herself. Her eyes lit up with realization as she spoke again, "Oh, where are my manners…"

Azusa looked down at the woman's outstretched hand and up again just in time to catch her speak.

"Hello, my name is Sumire Sato, the representative of the Kotobuki council," she happily chimed.

Azusa quickly reciprocated the action and smiled back. "Azusa Nakano, I'm the...recipient."

The blonde's blue eyes opened slightly as her lips curved into a wider smile. "Indeed you are."

Sumire let go of her hand and sat on the edge of the fountain. She pet the spot next to her and removed her bag from around her neck before staring off into the distance.

"Dear Azusa… I hope I pronounced that right…" Azusa nodded and Sumire smiled proudly. "I've been part of the Sakuragaoka system ever since I was an infant… It's been almost fourteen years since I entered at the age of six. I do promise that it shan't be too difficult to intertwine yourself with the student body, they are quite accepting."

Azusa nodded again and momentarily thought upon the woman's interesting choice of words. It was a bit odd, but it had an artistic tone to it.

She stared down at the ground and tightened her grip on the hoodie fabric that lay above her thighs. "Understood."

Sumire picked at the hem of her cardigan before she reached down to grab her bag and pull out a stack of papers. "As you know, I am to be your mentor. In this packet, you'll find further information on the scholarship's requirements, my number, and where to find me. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me."

"Will do, thank you again Sumire," Azusa replied.

"T'was a pleasure to meet you, too, Azusa. I hope we get to be good friends, I have a feeling I'll be seeing you a lot this semester," she laughed.

Azusa laughed along and saw her stand up. "Thanks again. Have a good day!"

"You too! Until we meet again, little Kitten!" Sumire said as she turned away.

Azusa watched her walk away before she decided to head home as well. She looked down at the packets in her hand and folded them up to put them in her souvenir bag.

It wasn't until she was well on her way home that she realized the other girl had called her little Kitten.

She wasn't sure if that bothered her or not.

* * *

 **X~0~X~0 K-ON! 0~X~0~X**

* * *

The trek to the dorms was a soothing one.

The blonde hummed to herself as she reached her building. It was isolated from the rest and nestled between a small forest of trees, but it was home and that was what she loved most about it.

She dug into her bag and pulled out the key. Just as she went to open the door, she saw the handle turn before the wooden fixture creaked open.

She then found herself peering at a surprised pair of grey eyes.

" _Oh_! It's you. I thought you weren't coming home until later?"

Sumire chuckled to herself, she walked into the household and removed her shoes. "Ah, dear Mio, it was only a quick thing. Were you planning on going out without me?"

The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes, but smiled fondly. "I was going to step out and run to the store so I could grab some ingredients for dinner." The taller girl's nose wrinkled in distaste as she gestured down the hall. "The two idiots were too busy toking up to go earlier and they texted me just _now_ that we have nothing for dinner."

Sumire shook her head and hung her bag on the coat rack. "Well, if it's too much of a hassle, we can always order in."

"Pfft, and gorge myself in trans-fats and whatever disgusting chemicals they put in the slop they call food? You guys can do that, but I'll be going to _Whole Foods_ for my meal," Mio stated.

"If you say so, Mio-chuaan," Sumire teased, the other woman chuckled and walked out the door.

"See you later! Let me know if you decide to get anything organic," Mio said as she waved goodbye.

"Will do!" Sumire called out and closed the door after.

The blonde made her way into the living room and plopped onto the couch. The coffee table in front of it was littered with sheets of paper and pencil shavings. A look to the right and she found herself facing a Heritage Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul.

"Well hello, Gitah. I see that Yui was in here earlier," she mused and looked up at the ceiling. "It certainly explains the mess."

Sumire adjusted her glasses and let out a low sigh. She could tell already that the semester was going to be interesting. The tension with her roommates was growing worse and they'd _just_ returned from vacation.

She sat up and stretched her arms out before letting out a long yawn. The door creaked open again and a pair of voices filtered in.

"So I'm telling you, if we talk to Wada, she can definitely hook us up. It's a good thing if you want to expand, Yui."

Ritsu's unmistakable voice dropped down to a low whisper, though in the otherwise empty residence, it was as loud as pen drop in a still room.

"You don't have to look into it now, but it's an ideal opportunity."

"I understand, Ritsu. We'll talk about this later," Yui murmured.

Sumire smiled to herself and stood up to make her presence known. The two girls jumped in surprise, the shock mostly presented itself on Ritsu's face as Yui's was an impassive mask.

"Afternoon, you two! Long day after toking it up?" She innocently asked.

Ritsu snorted and placed the bags she was holding down on the kitchen counter. "I'm guessin' the Ice Princess told you?"

"Well, it's the middle of the day, you two shouldn't have been at it so early," She scolded.

Yui placed her bags alongside the drummer's. She gave the two a half-smile and pulled a packet of strawberries from one.

"We weren't. That's just what we made her think," she said as she opened the lid and popped one into her mouth.

Ritsu gave her a playful shove and blew a raspberry at her. "Ew, Yui, those things are covered in pesticides, you gotta wash them before you eat them."

"But if they have pesticides shouldn't they keep you away?" The brunette responded only to have Ritsu pull her into a headlock.

"That was a good one, Private, but you won't win this war!" Ritsu shouted as the trapped girl worked to free herself from her grip.

Ritsu's amber eyes widened with realization as she loosened her grip on Yui. The brunette ducked and walked over to the stove so she could turn it on.

"By the way, where is the Ice Princess anyways? Is she out with another boy toy?" Ritsu smirked and made her way into the dining room. Since it was connected to the open kitchen and living room, it was easy access.

"Just drop it, Ritsu. There's no need to get worked up over her business," Yui told her as she opened up a cabinet.

"Pffft, alright whatever," Ritsu responded as she pulled out a chair and plopped down in front of the rectangular table. Sumire stood up, walked over to the r table, and pulled out a chair across from her. Upon taking a seat, Ritsu spoke again. "Well, aren't _you_ all dressed up and barely recognizable. Weren't you meeting some girl today?"

"Mhm, and it sure was interesting. Something about her called out to me a bit, so I hope she keeps up with her studies," she said.

Ritsu fumbled with a box of pocky and grunted in acknowledgment. She ripped the top of the inner bag open and offered her one, the blonde held her hand up to decline. Ritsu shrugged and placed it between her lips.

"The las' time it happened was three years ago, ya?" Ritsu continued as she munched away.

Sumire placed her elbows on the table and folded her hand so she could rest her chin on it. "Yes, it would appear so. I don't know why my father decided to choose this year, but he has his reasons."

Ritsu hummed in agreement before placing another stick in her mouth. In the distance, the kettle began to wail. There was a sharp clicking noise, moments later the sound of clinking porcelain could be heard.

Sumire closed her eyes and basked in the soft sounds of the dorm. The muffled sounds of Ritsu's munching and pouring water were music to her ears. There was a quiet plop and she leaned back a bit as she heard footsteps approach.

"It's hot, but I probably shouldn't warn you since you're the tea master," Yui said.

Sumire opened her eyes and smiled down at the cup of tea that had been placed in front of her. Yui took the seat to the left of Ritsu and dropped a handful of sugar cubes into her cup. The drummer made a retching sound before Yui elbowed her in the side. The two girls chuckled at their own joke as Sumire took a sip of her tea.

 _"Please don't say you are lazy~"_

The demo recording of Mio's voice that served as her alert tone filtered through her pocket, loud enough for the group to hear. Sumire removed her phone from her cardigan pocket and couldn't stop herself from smiling.

 _ **[XXX-XXX-YYYY: Hello Sumire! It's Azusa, just wanted to text you so you had my number. Hope you have a nice day!]**_

"Who is it? That's _the_ look," Ritsu commented.

She glanced up at both girls who were eyeing her rather curiously, and chose to quickly type a message back and saved the number in her phone instead.

"...Everything alright?" Yui asked.

"Of course, everything is fine!" Sumire laughed as she replaced her phone in her pocket.

The two brunettes shared a look again. Yui decisively shrugged it off, but Ritsu decided to push it further.

"Come on, it must be important if it's _the_ look," she said. "You don't always make that face."

The blonde raised her eyebrows at that. The tawny-haired girl narrowed her amber eyes suspiciously. "And you're probably wearing those nerd shades for a reason. What're you up to?"

"Why Ritsu, whatever do you mean?" She asked innocently before taking another sip of tea.

The drummer sat up straight and scratched the back of her head.

"Alright, I understand that it's not my business," she said. Ritsu took a huge gulp of her own tea before plopping the cup down on the table. "Did the interview with that girl go well at least, _Moogs_ or should I call you by whatever role you're playing today?"

The blonde innocently smiled at the two as she removed her glasses and tucked them neatly into her pocket.

"It's something you probably shouldn't dawdle in, Ritsu, but yes, you can just call me, Mugi," she said. Her eyes looking down at her tea before she continued, "As for the interview, well, personally I think it went _swimmingly_. I sincerely hope the kitten makes it."

Her eyes flickered over to Yui who had began to idly stir circles in her tea and then back to Ritsu who had moved on and was tapping away at her phone. Mugi let out a low sigh as her own lit up with another message, this time from Mio.

 _ **[Mio-chuaaan 2:40 PM: Wait, so they actually went and bought groceries? This is ridiculous, I'll be home soon.]**_

 _ **[Mugi 2:41 PM: Yes, and you'll be pleased to know that today was not the toking day. Ritsu is just pushing your buttons, so don't let her get to you.]**_

 _ **[Mio 2:43 PM: We'll see about that. Though if she brings it up, be prepared to stop a fight.]**_

Mugi huffed as she prepared herself mentally for the inevitable brouhaha.

 _How did we end up like this? We were all so close and innocent._ The blonde thought to herself and swished the liquid in her cup. The image of Azusa's bright hopeful face then appeared in her mind. _Lord_ _ **knows**_ _we need more innocent people like the kitten around._

She lifted her cup and took another sip. Though once the liquid hit her lips, she placed it back down and sighed.

It had lost its warmth and grown cold, just like her friends.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks again for reading this! Hope your weekend shall go well. I don't have much to say this time, but thank you all for your support!**

 **I leave you now with a relevant quote snippet from the song mentioned in the title:**

"We played hide and seek in waterfalls

We were younger, we were younger...

Someday we will foresee obstacles

Through the blizzard."

 **Mei's signing out now. Your reviews and thoughts are appreciated.**


End file.
